Save The Bay’s 2019 calendar is officially here! Thank you to everyone who participated in our photo contest and contributed to a truly inspiring and breathtaking collection of photos. It was no easy task, but after hundreds of submissions and much deliberation, the 12 calendar winners have been selected. Jay Huang’s Blue Hour Fog received the most votes on Facebook, winning the People’s Choice Award to make the calendar cover.

The calendar offers a daily reminder of why we work so hard to protect the beautiful Bay we share. Each photo tells a different story of Bay appreciation, and we hope they inspire you as much as they inspire us. We reached out to some featured photographers to ask why they cherish the Bay and what inspired their incredible shots:

“Kayacking in Richardson’s Bay always changes my perspective, and sometimes it seems the birds and seals love the bay as much as I do.” – Jen Gennari: (jengennari.com)

“If it wasn’t for the Bay’s beauty, I never would have started out as a photographer. There aren’t very many major metropolitan areas where you can photograph a dozen different bird species, including a bald eagle, in a single afternoon. When I learned how close we came to losing this natural treasure in the ’60s, I wanted to do my part to support the Bay’s conservation today – so I’m thrilled to be a part of this year’s calendar!” – Colin Neikirk: (ccneikirk.myportfolio.com)

“The ever-changing San Francisco bay offers up a plethora of fascinating landscapes, from shoreline flora and fauna to grand vistas from atop its distant peaks. It is truly a nature lover’s dream.” – Mike Oria: (mikeoria.com)

“As the chilly morning fog hugs to the golden city, I click the photo integrating myself into the beautiful bay.” – Jay Huang: (Check out his Flickr)

“I’ve lived around the bay all my life. Whenever I seek stability I find myself along her shores. As stable as a crab against a wave.” – Sean Peck

“Without a doubt my favorite part of being a photographer in the SF Bay Area is chasing the magical and ethereal fog around and discovering new viewpoints from all the various mountaintops of this amazing place. There is a beautiful mixture of nature and urban life to behold here.” – Vincent James: (vincentjames.net)

Photographer Susie Kelly hopes her work inspires people to “preserve the Bay for the other species that live here,” and to “slow down and appreciate the beauty around us.”

Again, we extend a big thank you to every member of the community who submitted their Bay photos, and congratulations to our finalists! We hope the calendar reminds you why you love the Bay and inspires you to join our efforts to protect and restore our shorelines.

As the federal government continues to threaten environmental protections across the nation, our efforts to keep our Bay clean and healthy for wildlife and people have become more important than ever. The beautiful photos in this calendar illustrate what’s at stake: crucial habitat for wildlife, incredible views, and irreplaceable, flood-defending wetlands.

Your gift of just $10 or more will help mitigate the impacts of climate change on our communities, restore wetlands, and reduce toxic pollution in the Bay Area. As a special thank you, we will send you the beautiful 2018 Save The Bay calendar to remind you of the beauty your donation is helping to save.

The old Bay Bridge is being repurposed in creative ways. The Bay Bridge Steel Program is making materials from the old portion of the bridge available for creative reuse in civic and public art projects, like this statue at Joshua Tree National Park.

Pictures often remind us that there’s really no place like San Francisco Bay. At Save The Bay, we love to see and share all of your Bay photos on our Instagram. Whether you’re taking a photo from your kayak, or just walking along a stretch of the 500-mile San Francisco Bay Trail, our picturesque region is ripe for exploration and will surely make your Instagram look 💯 ! Here are our favorite spots around the Bay to take photos.

Corinne C. DeBra of Palo Alto has walked around the Bay twice, taking pictures along the way. Her exhibit “Walking the Bay” opens at Keeble & Shuchat Photography in Palo Alto opens Sept. 15 to Oct. 12. Read more on her blog.

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“What possessed you to take a 1,000-mile walk around San Francisco Bay?” someone once asked me.

It’s difficult to explain why I took this long walk, and am now on a more leisurely second circumnavigation around the Bay, to people who haven’t enjoyed a good hike or a beautiful sunset along the Bay Shore.

To those who watch the evening news and may be hesitant about going outdoors in general, I wish you the courage to explore and experience something truly wonderful in your own backyard. This same person who asked about my 1,000-mile walk also asked if I’d seen any bears. The bears that once lived in the Bay Area may be long gone, but fears of the unknown often linger and lead to a less adventurous life.

Contrary to popular belief, it was in fact possible and enjoyable to take this 1,000-mile journey.

Through the use of the Bay Trail and a few stretches of the Ridge Trail and the new Water Trail I was able to walk the Bay and capture this wonderful journey through nature.

Fortunately, many birds and smaller animals still manage to survive, often in the margins around urban areas near the Bay Trail, where there are many wonderful places to observe wildlife. The remaining baylands and marshes provide a narrow strip of refuge between land and sea—thanks to the preservation efforts of many individuals, agencies and organizations, such as Save The Bay.

Bay Area walkers and bicyclists owe a debt of gratitude to all those who continue to balance environmental protection with recreational access for the millions of individuals who live in the nine counties that touch San Francisco Bay. The Bay Trail offers some of the best views and vantage points for those interested not just in nature, but also history, culture, art and exercise. The Bay Trail takes you across the Golden Gate Bridge and other bridges; and through over 47 diverse areas that range from big and bustling cities to quiet and serene parks and open spaces.

Free Bay Day Bay Trail walk in the Palo Alto Baylands that will depart at 9:30 a.m. at the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center located at 2775 Embarcadero Way in Palo Alto (Distance: 1.6 miles/2.57 km)

I’ve met interesting people and continue to discover many new places on my Bay Trail walks. San Francisco Bay has something for everyone. I’ve tried to condense thousands of small stories from over 100,000 photos into a small collection of 47 images as part of my “Walking the Bay 2” show at Keeble & Shuchat Photography in Palo Alto that will be held from Sept. 15 to Oct. 12. I hope that my 1,000 mile walk and photos will inspire others to check out the Bay Trail and come to appreciate the Bay as much as I do.